Thesis Lab Global Women’s Health

In the Thesis Lab Global Women’s Health, master’s students investigate issues related to innovations in healthcare for women both here and in low-income countries.

Research questions come from hospitals, NGOs, small and medium-sized enterprises, governments, health organizations, and insurers. The Thesis Lab connects these practical issues to students’ thesis topics. During their graduation process, students are guided by the Thesis Lab and can participate in site visits and workshops.

The Thesis Lab Global Women’s Health was established in collaboration by Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities and Medical Delta. Both organizations have been successfully working together for several years in the Thesis Lab ‘Groene Zorg’.

Call for assignments

Do you have a research question related to innovation and healthcare for women in low- or high-resource settings? Let a talented and ambitious master’s student from Leiden, Delft, and Erasmus universities explore your challenge in the Thesis Lab ‘Global Women’s Health’ 2025-2026.

Submission can be made here (deadline: August 17, 2025)

Examples of topics include research into the impact AI can have on cervical cancer screening in remote areas of the ‘global south,’ or the design of a training model to practice complex procedures.

What participation provides

A talented and ambitious master’s student from Leiden University, TU Delft, or Erasmus University Rotterdam will investigate your issue and be guided by the Thesis Lab.

Participating students have broad expertise, such as biomedical technology, medicine, industrial design, social sciences, health policy, and management.

By participating, you expand your global network in the field of women’s health and enrich your academic network with experts from our universities Leiden, Delft, and Erasmus. You can join the hybrid seminars and (expert) meetings with researchers, students, and professionals from the field between January and July 2026.

We expect you to invest about one to two hours per month in practical guidance for the student.

Objectives of the Thesis Lab Global Women’s Health

The Thesis Lab Global Women’s Health focuses on women’s health at all stages of life — from maternal and child care to adult and elderly care. The Thesis Lab addresses health challenges in both high- and low-resource settings, with special attention to digitalization, (technical) innovation, and sustainability.

The Thesis Lab aims to contribute to the improvement of healthcare for women and to effectively translate these improvements to healthcare in low-resource environments.

To achieve this, a dynamic ecosystem or network is established for students active in this field. The Thesis Lab organizes educational activities and guides them in writing their theses. Ultimately, the Global Health Thesis Lab is meant to grow into a true ‘Lab’ — a space where initiatives can (spontaneously) emerge and where new collaborations, especially at the international level, can flourish.

Our concrete goals:

• Establish a global knowledge network

• Improve the quality of content and connect students working on similar topics

• Investigate how health innovations can be implemented in different countries

The Thesis Lab Global Women’s Health was established in collaboration by Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities and Medical Delta.